Bobbin with strand engaging means



Sept. 23, 1969 J. uMAN'rbuR 3,468,496

BOBBIN WITH STRAND ENGAGING MEANS Filed May 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

FIG n2 INVENTOR ll/U0 L MIA/V700? BY 4 9,214... Tax

ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1969 J. LIMANTOUR BOBBIN WITH STRAND ENGAGING MEANS Filed May 26. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheat P,

INVENTOR Jul/0 L/MA/VTOl/R BY AM d. M' ia ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,468,496 BOBBIN WITH STRAND ENGAGING MEANS Julio Limantour, Durham, Pa. 18037 Filed May 26, 1967, Ser. No. 641,643 Int. Cl. B65h 75/28 US. Cl. 242125.1 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bobbin for use in an automatic winding machine comprising a body portion and a resilient wire wound as a helix mounted on said body with at least two full turns of the wire, and held in tight adjacently by the resilience of the wire, said wire serving as a yarn end attaching means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In automatic bobbin winding machines currently in use the bobbin after winding, is dotted or removed from the winding position automatically and a bare bobbin donned, or inserted into the winding position, automatically. The bobbin in the winding position is fed yarn from a continuous strand by suitable holding means as the bobbin is rotated to wind the yarn on the bobbin. The holding means is constructed and arranged to move longitudinally of the bobbin to accomplish the winding operation.

In such a machine, as the preceding bobbin is doifed, means are provided to sever the yarn so that the strand end can be attached to the bobbin in the winding position. In order to properly commence the winding of the bobbin in the winding position it is necessary that the end of the strand be attached thereto and means to effect such attachment have been used. Such means have taken various configurations, however, such means presently in use have certain deficiencies both in operation and as to the cost thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A device for use in an automatic winding machine for winding yarn thereon comprising an elongated body portion or bobbin and a resilient wire wound as a helix mounted thereon with at least two full turns of the wire held in tight adjacency by the resilience of the wire and the wire being restrained from rotation relative to the bobbin to provide for engaging the yarn strand, the bobbin being in the winding position of the automatic winding machine, as the strand of yarn is slid along the bobbin toward the wire so that the wire can grasp the yarn between turns of the wire and the yarn can be wound on the bobbin which is rotated relative thereto. The bobbin has a head, a body portion and a tip end, and the wire helix is mounted on the body portion next to the head. The full turns of the wire are of approximately equal diameter and the terminating half turn of wire which serves to engage the yarn is slightly inclined toward the tip end of the bobbin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a segmentary view of a typical automatic bobbin winding machine utilizing the device of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a segmentary end view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a segmentary view of the yarn winding device shown in FIG. 1 illustrating one means whereby the yarn is grasped thereby;

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side view of the helical wire 3,468,496 Patented Sept. 23, 1369 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2 portions of a typical automatic windmg. machine of the type wherein wound bobbins are doiied upon completion of winding and fresh bobbins donned to elfect continuous operation of the machine, is shown. The bobbins shown are wooden and typical of the bobbins currently in use although variations of bobbin material and configuration as well as winding machine design can 'be made within the scope of the invention. In the machine shown bobbin 10 is contained in magazine 12 and ready for receipt by bobbin donning arms 14 and 16 by which bobbin 18 is held. During donning the gripping means 20 and 22 of donning arms 14 and 16 respectively hold the bobbin at its ends and carry it down into alignment with winding spindle centers 24 and 26 as arms 14 and 16 are rocked by rotation of shaft 28 upon which they are mounted.

During winding the bobbin, such as bobbin 30 is supported and held between the hollow center 24 at the end of the rotating winding spindle 32 and spindle center 26 which is also hollow and freely rotatable as the bobbin rotates.

After a bobbin in the position of bobbin 30 is wound, it is dotted by release from spindle centers 24 and 26 and a bobbin in the position of bobbin 18 assumes the position of bobbin 30.

Yarn 34 is brought into position for winding on bobbin 30 by yarn guide 36 and clip 38 of yarn retriever 40 which hold the yarn to be wound on bobbin 30 across the bobbin. Means are provided, although not shown herein, for advancing the yarn guide 36, longitudinally of the bobbin to distribute the yarn on the bobbin in short layers commencing at the left of the bobbin as shown in FIG. 1 adjacent the head 30 thereof.

In initially mounting the yarn on bobbin 30 the yarn guide 36, which is at the end near spindle center 26, during doffing of the preceding bobbin is carried back toward the spindle center 24 and the thread guide cooperates therewith by seizing the yarn leading from yarn guide 36 to the dotted bobbin, which yarn has been severed at 34.

The subject invention employs as a yarn attaching means for attachment of yarn 34 to bobbin 30, to commence winding thereon, a resilient wire 42 of circular cross-section wound as a helix and mounted on bobbin 30 adjacent head 30 thereof with end 42' of the wire providing a half turn slightly spaced from its adjacent full turn 32" and slightly spaced from the bobbin. As shown in the FIGS. the wire 42 provides two full turns 32" and 32' and two half turns 32' and 32"" and with the exception of end 32' it is tightly wound On the bobbin and held in position relative thereto by friction and the resiliency of the wire. Of course other suitable means may be provided for maintaining the attachment means 42 stationary relative to the bobbin.

As the yarn 34 is brought from position adjacent center 26 toward center 24 after dofling of the preceding bobbin, the yarn attachment means is rotating in the direction of the arrow A. The yarn must either pass over end 42' as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 or beneath the end 42 as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In either case the attachment means will insure ready attachment of the yarn end to the bobbin for winding.

In order to facilitate an explanation of the operation of the attachment means 42 there is shown in FIG. a view of the attachment means with quadrants I, II, III and IV disposed and labeled clockwise. Quadrant I is illustrative of the position of the attachment means in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the yarn 34 is passing beneath end 42' of the attachment means to be received beneath half turn 42' which overlies the yarn as the yarn is moved and the attachment means 42 rotated into the yarn. Yarn 34 is grasped and frictionally engaged beneath the half turn 42' and then between half turn 42 and the adjacent full turn 42". The frictional engagement and resiliency of the spring means maintains the yarn in position and as the bobbin is rotated further in the direction of the arrow A Winding of bobbin 30 is accomplished.

If the yarn 34 encounters the attachment means 42 in the second quadrant it is likely that due to the speed of rotation of the bobbin the yarn 34 will shortly appear in quadrant I for grasping by attachment means 42 as described above. However, if the yarn encounters the attachment means 42 in quadrants III or IV the end 42' of the attachment means will not pass over the yarn but rather the yarn will pass over the attachment means and be grasped between turns 42" and 42" of the attachment means as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The yarn will be firmly held by the attachment means between turns 42" and 42" by the resiliency of the attachment means.

Thus it is seen that the attachment means will firmly grasp and maintain the yarn to allow commencement of 4 winding on bobbin whether the yarn encounters the attachment means 42 in quadrants I, II, III or IV.

I claim:

1. A device for use in an automatic winding machine for winding yarn thereon, comprising a bobbin having an elongated body portion, a head and a tip end, and a resilient wire wound as a helix with at least two full turns of approximately equal diameter, mounted thereon next to the head, said helix held in tight adjacency by the resilience of the Wire and restrained from rotation relative to the bobbin, said helix terminating in a half turn of wire which is slightly spaced from its adjacent turn and the bobbin, and which is slightly inclined toward the tip end of the bobbin to provide for engaging and frictionally grasping a strand of yarn.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the wire helix is composed of two full turns and two half turns.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the wire is of circular cross section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,771 10/1952 Goodhue 242125.1 3,227,394 1/1966 Parks 242-l25.l

FOREIGN PATENTS 247,596 12/1947 Switzerland.

GEORGE F. MAUTZ, Primary Examiner 

